Family History Shapes Psoriatic Disease Onset in PsA
Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who had a family history of psoriatic disease were diagnosed with psoriasis and PsA earlier and showed more entheseal involvement than those without such family history.
METHODOLOGY:
Researchers enrolled 843 patients with PsA (mean age, 50.8 years; 50.6% men; 76.4% White individuals) from the New York University (NYU) Psoriatic Arthritis Center and associated clinics in an observational, longitudinal registry to study familial aggregation and differences in disease onset and phenotype.
They collected data on demographics, medical and family history, and psoriatic phenotype and activity.
Patients were categorized on the basis of family history, with 379 participants having one or more first-degree or second-degree relatives with psoriatic disease (301 had relatives with psoriasis, and 78 had relatives with PsA) and 464 having no history.
Disease measures included the age at which psoriasis and PsA were diagnosed, types and locations of psoriasis, and areas affected by PsA.
TAKEAWAY:
Patients with a family history of psoriatic disease were diagnosed with psoriasis and PsA earlier than those without (mean age, 27.6 vs 32.2 years and 37.6 vs 40.3 years, respectively; P < .01 for both).
Patients with first-degree or second-degree relatives with PsA were diagnosed with psoriasis and PsA earlier than those with relatives with psoriasis alone or no family history (P < .01 and P = .01, respectively).
Patients with a family history of psoriatic disease were more likely to have a history of enthesitis than those without (36.7% vs 30.0%; P < .05) and active enthesitis at baseline (30.1% vs 21.6%; P < .01).
The transition time between the diagnosis of psoriasis and PsA was longer among patients with two or more first-degree or second-degree relatives than among those with only one relative or those with no family history (mean time to diagnosis, 14.1 vs 8.0 vs 8.8 years; P < .01).
IN PRACTICE:
'Additional studies integrating molecular and immune features are needed to elucidate how genetic, environmental, and epigenetic elements influence the progression from psoriasis to PsA, as well as PsA's clinical presentation, severity, and therapeutic response,' the authors of the study wrote.
SOURCE:
The study was led by Catherine Howe, MD, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City. It was published online on July 14, 2025, in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
LIMITATIONS:
The study relied on patient-reported data for age of diagnosis and family history, which may introduce potential recall bias and underdiagnosis of mild cases. Having a family history may not equate to genetic burden. The lack of a uniform baseline visit for all patients with PsA may affect the assessment of disease activity.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was funded by grants to authors from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the NYU Colton Center for Autoimmunity, the Rheumatology Research Foundation, the National Psoriasis Foundation, and other sources. Two authors reported receiving support from an Institutional National Research Service Award and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Some authors reported receiving consulting fees from or serving on advisory boards for pharmaceutical companies that market drugs for psoriatic disease.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scientists develop microscopic 'swimming' discs that could help clean polluted waters: 'Pave the way for applications'
Scientists develop microscopic 'swimming' discs that could help clean polluted waters: 'Pave the way for applications' A team of researchers has created small swimmers that can harvest energy from their surroundings and convert it into movement. The discs, about twice as wide as a human hair, are amazingly partly made from dried food dye, according to a news release from New York University. The fascinating project includes experts from Harvard, the University of Chicago, and elsewhere. "The essential new principles we discovered — how to make microscopic objects swim on command using simple materials that undergo phase transitions when exposed to controllable energy sources — pave the way for applications that range from design of responsive fluids, controlled drug delivery, and new classes of sensors, to name a few," lead researcher Juan de Pablo, from NYU, said in the summary. Applications could also include water pollutant cleanup. The discs are made with food dye and propylene glycol. For their part, certain dyes are being banned from use in foods because of health risks. But the substances help form the innovative NYU swimmers. They have bumps on them, which are needed for moving through the special fluid — nematic liquid crystal — that's used in LCD screens. When the discs are hit with LED light, the food dye absorbs it, converting it to heat. This causes the typically well-organized liquid crystals to melt, "creating imbalance that pushes the disc forward," according to the release. Temperature and lighting impact how the discs move. At top speed, the tiny units can zoom at about a micrometer a second. The experts said it's a "notable" speed for such a small device. In certain circumstances, the discs move in three dimensions, creating "beautiful flower-like patterns of light visible under a microscope." Amazing 12-petaled designs sometimes form with brighter lighting, per the summary. "The platelet lifts due to an incompatibility between the liquid crystal's preferred molecular orientation at different surfaces. This creates an uneven elastic response that literally pushes one side of the platelet upward," de Pablo said. At Binghamton University in New York, a team has developed small water skimmers that run on bacteria-powered biobatteries. The units can carry tiny sensors. Experts in the United Kingdom have developed tiny robots that can travel inside pipes to fix leaks, saving precious water from being wasted. It's evidence of the rapid adoption of technology that can improve our lives and help power the shift to a cleaner future. Smart home gadgets, such as thermostats and LEDs, can be controlled with an app and save you hundreds of dollars a year with better electricity use. The tech can also help you reduce planet-warming fumes linked by NASA to increased risks for life-threatening severe weather, such as floods and wildfires. The NYU breakthrough is different from other small swimmers, such as bacteria that use "whip-like tails." Other human-made devices require chemical reactions. The NYU innovation uses cheap materials, heat, and light. The team said other types of liquids could possibly be adapted to the process, along with body heat to drive the reaction, all according to the release. Should we be harnessing the ocean to power our homes? Absolutely Leave it be It depends I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Vogue
11 hours ago
- Vogue
You Can Get Ozempic Online Without a Prescription. Is it Safe?
Whatever your stance is on using the diabetes drug Ozempic to assist with weight loss, there's no denying that its popularity is at an all-time high. In fact, a survey by independent information organization KFF found that one in eight adults in the US has taken a GLP-1 at least once in their life. Makes sense that we had a GLP-1 shortage last year—intertwining with a new means of getting the drug for those who previously may not have been prescribed: KFF also reported that 11% of people are getting their GLP-1 drug from an online provider or website. Experts say that lower costs and easy access seem to be the driving factors. Holly Lofton, MD, director of the medical weight management program at NYU Langone Health, explains that GLP-1s and other similar medications can cost well over $1,000 per month without insurance. Dr. Lofton adds that many prescribers may not feel comfortable prescribing these medications ('They have not been properly trained or don't understand the complexity of overweight and obesity as chronic medical conditions,' she says), making it difficult for patients to get the drug from their primary care physicians. These online platforms make it convenient for consumers looking to avoid having to go back and forth with their insurance and doctors, with a catch: They can be unregulated. 'This convergence of unmet demand and commercial supply has driven individuals toward alternative channels,' says Peter Goulden, MD, FRCP, division chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and bone diseases at Mount Sinai. 'Often without full appreciation of the clinical risks involved.' The Risks Dr. Goulden says unregulated sources and the absence of clinical screenings of these drugs may lead to incorrect dosages, counterfeit products, or ineffective or contaminated products that can cause serious adverse effects such as dehydration, hypoglycaemia, and infection. You also risk not having access to regular monitoring with a licensed professional. Without a doctor or medical professional coaching you through long-term treatment, he says you risk possible negative interactions with medications you're already taking or worsening renal function, gallbladder disease, or pancreatitis. 'Circumventing the standard medical framework in favor of online acquisition undermines the safeguards designed to ensure appropriate, evidence-based use of these potent agents,' he says. The Compound Issue Compounded options also continue to grow in popularity online—causing great concern. Compounded medication, as Dr. Goulden explains it, is a drug that has been custom-made by a pharmacy onsite. It typically involves combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to meet the specific needs of a patient. It is only permitted when there is a genuine shortage of a commercial drug or when a patient has a specific need for it (e.g., an allergy to a preservative in the original medication) that the standard drug cannot provide. When it comes to compounded Ozempic and other semaglutides, Dr. Goulden adds that they are not identical to their FDA-approved counterparts and are not subjected to the same rigorous testing or quality control. The FDA recently reported its concerns on fraudulent compounded GLP-1s in the market, where some don't even contain semaglutide at all.
Washington Post
11 hours ago
- Washington Post
Potatoes are healthy, but french fries? Not so much, new study suggests.
They're the most popular vegetable in the United States, where people eat an average of nearly 50 pounds of them a year, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department's most recent food availability data. But the humble potato doesn't always get the nutritional respect of say, Brussels sprouts. 'Potatoes have long been associated with poor health despite being basically healthy foods,' said Marion Nestle, a molecular biologist and Paulette Goddard professor of nutrition, food studies and public health, emerita, at New York University.
